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Luke 1:26-38, "When We Don't Understand" · Clifford Baptist

• 0:00
  Worked all things out.
• 0:03
  I believe he has.
• 0:06
  It's amazing how God weaves these things together and even using that word weaving, how God is going to show us that today. But I want you to know a little bit about the history of the title of this message. When we don't understand great privilege.
• 0:24
  I'll be the first to say I'm not a big reader. I do not enjoy reading. It's something I have to force. Force myself to do.
• 0:31
  But by forcing myself to do it, you learn so much.
• 0:34
  So just this week in my office and time, reading political articles that tell us that we're in trouble, reading religious articles that tell us what is going on in Nigeria to Christians is unthinkable, something unthinkable to many of us even sitting in this room.
• 0:57
  One man wrote, 90% of the Christians being persecuted are the Christians in Nigeria. And you know where. Do you know where the gospel is thriving?
• 1:08
  Africa under persecution.
• 1:12
  The gospel is thriving, but many are losing their life.
• 1:20
  Schoolwork, taking a class, defending the creation of the earth and trying to understand how people can come to the conclusion that all of this just happened with a big bang.
• 1:35
  Here's what I want. Your pastor. I don't understand it and I don't always have the answer, but we understand and we know that we can trust God no matter what the climate is in the political world or what the climate is in the religious sect of things, or what is happening with the thoughts and the minds of those who claim to know it all. When it comes to the beginning of time, I'll be the first to say I don't know it all, but I trust in Jesus.
• 2:09
  Many of you know the name Corrie ten Boom.
• 2:14
  Born in 1892 into a Christian family, the Netherlands.
• 2:21
  In 1940, as the Nazis invaded the Netherlands, they had a secret room in their home where they would let the Jewish people come and hide from the Nazis.
• 2:34
  In 1944, Corrie Ten Boone's father, her sister and Corrie were arrested and sent to concentration camp.
• 2:46
  Corrie was released on an error.
• 2:49
  Her father and her sister lost their lives.
• 2:55
  Later on, in the years after the war, Corrie met one of her captors and of all places, church.
• 3:06
  And she chose forgiveness to forgive all the atrocities that he had done to her and for the brutal treatment.
• 3:17
  And here is a poem that she often quoted and loved to quote. And I want to share it with you.
• 3:25
  It's called Life is but a weaving.
• 3:29
  My life is but a weaving between my God and me.
• 3:33
  I cannot choose the colors.
• 3:36
  He weaveth steadily Ofttimes he weaveth sorrow, and I in foolish pride forget. He sees the upper and I the underside.
• 3:48
  Not till the loom is silent and the shuttles cease to fly Will God unroll the canvas and reveal the reason why the dark threads are as needful and the weaver's skillful hand as the threads of gold and silver.
• 4:06
  The pattern he has planned he knows, he loves, he cares nothing this truth can dim. He gives the very best of those who leave the choice to Him.
• 4:20
  We are reminded in that little poem that oftentimes Corrie 10 boom would see the underside of what was being woven. A mere mess of threads of straggled thread that is left differing colors overlapping. Many of you know this because you too have sewed.
• 4:44
  And yet what God was doing on the other side and what she could not see was a simple masterpiece.
• 4:53
  And so today, in a very, very familiar story, it will teach us. There are times when we do not understand how the hand of God is working in our lives or in our situation.
• 5:09
  As God weaves, will we trust his plan even when we don't understand?
• 5:19
  Dr. Luke has opened chapter number one with the miracles that he is showing us. Last week we understood that he is going to bring life to two old people in the form of a baby.
• 5:33
  They are way past their years. In their own words, they are old. They are past the childbearing age. Yet God is going to provide a miracle.
• 5:43
  But the miracle work of God does not stop there, as Dr. Luke records the second miraculous birth that we will see today.
• 5:53
  It's very familiar, and here's what I want you to know. It's Christmas time in Clifford. Because Jesus is coming.
• 6:02
  On the pages of Scripture, Jesus is coming.
• 6:06
  And as we look at this great announcement to a very young, scared woman who doesn't understand the full picture, maybe it will minister to you and me today.
• 6:21
  So as we think about that title, when we don't understand, listen to what God's Word says. From Luke, chapter one, starting in the 26th verse.
• 6:35
  And in the sixth month, the angel Gabriel was sent from God into a city of Galilee named Nazareth, to a virgin espoused to a man whose name was Joseph of the house of David. And the virgin's name was Mary. And the angel came unto her and said, hail, thou art highly favored. The Lord is with thee. Blessed art thou among women.
• 6:59
  And when she saw him, she was troubled at his saying. And cast in her mind what manner of salutation this should be. And the angel said unto her, fear not, Mary, for thou hast found favor God, let's pray. Father. God. Lord, around this room and watching livestream right now, there are many people who don't understand how your hand is at work.
• 7:24
  God, through your holy word today, I pray that you will make it clear to us deep down in our soul that we can fully trust you.
• 7:33
  Lord, maybe there's somebody in this room or watching livestream, God, that doesn't know you as savior. God. God. I pray, Lord, that you will teach them that they can fully trust you as savior as well.
• 7:42
  Lord, we'll give you the glory for all that you do. In Jesus name, Amen.
• 7:48
  When we don't understand.
• 7:50
  The first point that I want to give you today is this is you can trust God's plan. When you don't understand, you can trust God's plan.
• 8:00
  You may say that's easier said than done.
• 8:03
  And yes, that is true.
• 8:06
  But here's what I want you to understand today as we think about these words. Six months after visiting Zacchaeus, Gabriel finds himself in nowhere, Nazareth.
• 8:19
  And that's basically the place that we're talking about.
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  Nothing happens in Nazareth.
• 8:27
  It's almost like talking about Clifford.
• 8:29
  Nobody knows where Clifford is, Right?
• 8:32
  And so in biblical days, nobody knew where Nazareth was. Even Nathaniel poses this question in the book of John, chapter number one, can anything good come out of Nazareth?
• 8:51
  That may be your thoughts this morning as you contemplate what God is doing in your life and you're trying to figure out, okay, God, what's your plan for my life? God, you can't do anything like that in my life. Don't read this story as if God doesn't want to use you and only wanted to use Mary. No, I read this story as God used Mary so he can use every single one of you and me.
• 9:19
  But when we don't understand, we understand that there's a Jewish city that is not very big. It's away from the major roads of the day. It's quiet.
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  Nothing made it a destination, a place that anybody wanted to be. But in this city, there was a young girl, a virgin according to God's word, that lived in this town, that was pledged or promised to be married to a man by the name of Joseph.
• 9:50
  Mary is the recipient of Gabriel's message, a message that is not only miraculous, but but life changing. The beginning of that message says this. God tells Mary through this angel that she is highly favored and that the Lord is with her and that she is blessed among the women. She is blessed among all the women on the earth.
• 10:15
  Mary's natural reaction is this I've got questions, those questions of what's going on here and how can this happen? And the fear begins to creep into what this angel is telling her.
• 10:35
  But I believe this. I believe that every believer in Christ is highly favored and blessed, and the Lord is with him. I believe that every one of us carries those credentials that God gives Mary because God wants to work in our lives and God wants to use us as well. But here's what I need you to understand.
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  These words do not elevate Mary to a position to be worshiped.
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  Some people do.
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  It's nothing special about Mary. It's that God chose her out of all the women in the earth. It is God's plan that. That he used this young girl to bring his son into the world. So his favor is upon her. She is blessed and the Lord is with her. But I want to tell you, church, that God wants to use you in ways that only he can, just like he used Mary. It may not be bring a baby into this world, but it is to take forth the name of Jesus to the world.
• 11:43
  God wants to use his people.
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  And so the angel reminds Mary, don't fear. Don't be afraid. God has a plan. But what happens when God's plan interferes with your plan?
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  You see, Mary and Joseph already had the wedding plan.
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  We got some newlyweds in the room today.
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  They will understand.
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  Some of us that have been married, we forgot those plans, right?
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  Mary and Joseph were engaged.
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  Betrothed is the word, a legal binding that they were to be together for the rest of their life. This was their plan. They were going to marry each other one day. The families had already made the sacrifices to make that happen. And the plan, they're just waiting on the day that they would give their life to each other forever.
• 12:39
  And then God shows up in the midst of their plan and say, I have something different for you, Mary. Don't worry, don't fear.
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  I've got a plan.
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  Now, some of you may be like, what I'm thinking here is like, okay, God, I don't know about this, right?
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  But that was never Mary's heart as she listened to this angel began to speak.
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  He tells her that you are different than any woman on this earth because you will bring my son into the world. And you don't need to fear because I will be with you.
• 13:23
  Maybe there's something right now in your life that you don't fully understand.
• 13:29
  Maybe God has changed or even wrecked your plans with his plan.
• 13:35
  You know, God wants to do something in Your life, He wants to work through you in some way. You can't quite put your finger on it, but you know, if you follow God, it's going to change everything.
• 13:50
  That's when God works.
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  Today I'm going to ask if God is doing that in your life, and maybe I should say this. When God does that in your life, will you trust God's plan over your own plan?
• 14:15
  People in Nigeria today are trusting God's plan and God's promise and. And it's costing them their life.
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  Church. We don't understand that.
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  America does not understand that.
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  But they trust God's plan.
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  When our plan and God's plan overlap, how many in Clifford Baptist Church today will say, okay, God, I will trust your plan.
• 14:49
  Look at verses 31 through 34.
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  And behold, thou shalt conceive in thy womb and bring forth a son and shall call his name Jesus.
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  And he shall be great and shall be called the son of the highest. And the Lord God shall give unto him the throne of his father David.
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  He shall reign over the house of Jacob forever. And of his kingdom there shall be no end. Then said Mary unto the angel, how shall this be? Seeing I know not a man we can trust God's plan.
• 15:32
  Point number two is you can trust God's purpose.
• 15:36
  Trust God's purpose, Trust. The fundamental question that we all must look at in our walk with the Lord is this. What are you doing here?
• 15:49
  As a teenager, I struggled with that.
• 15:54
  What is my purpose? What did God put me here for? There are many people that want to pour in and try to tell you and help you figure that out, beginning with your parents.
• 16:04
  I'll say this. Where you go to school matters, because that will greatly influence how you see life.
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  They want to influence you as well. Who you hang around with, your friends. They want to convince you and tell you something. But here's the truth. God has created and made you with a holy purpose.
• 16:25
  You have a purpose.
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  But as we try to figure out in this life, and here's the sad part, many people go throughout their earthly life never ever figuring out what. What did God want me to do?
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  Sometimes it's hard.
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  I began with teenagers, and now I'm at adults.
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  And I don't know if I'm there yet, right? I don't know if I'm in the right place.
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  But here's what God says. Trust me.
• 16:59
  When we try to figure out exactly what God's purpose was for creating us and for creating Mary, we see this. It was to send that angel that she would Bring forth a son. And not just any boy, but the promised Son out of the line of David. He would be the Messiah.
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  He would carry the name of Jesus, as we can see.
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  And the Bible says this.
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  He shall be great.
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  That's what verse 32 says.
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  He shall be great.
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  When we think about that, remember to Zacharias and Elizabeth. Do you remember what Gabriel told about their son, about John? Look at verse number 15.
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  For he shall be great.
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  What's going on here?
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  Both of these babies are great. How many of you believe your children and grandchildren are great? Go on and put your hand up. It's okay. Yeah, we think our babies are great.
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  Here's what I want you to see through this. There's been a lot of greats in this world. There's Alexander the Great, and there's Catherine the Great and Cyrus the Great and Darius the Great, Herod the Great. All of these people carry the title the Great. But these two babies are going to be different in their greatness. Look at verse number 15 about John. It says this. For he shall be great in the sight of the Lord.
• 18:24
  So in God's eyes, John is going to be great, and he's going to have a plan. But look again at verse number 32.
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  He shall be great and shall be called the Son of the Highest. And the Lord God shall give him the throne of his father, David, and he shall reign over the house of Jacob forever. And of his kingdom, there shall be no end.
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  The greatness of this baby, of Mary's baby is now elevated, not just in the sight of God, but in all the world. He will be the fulfillment of the coming Messiah. This man will be great.
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  A young mother hearing this, that she will have a child.
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  And he's going to be the Son of God. And he already has a name. His name is Jesus.
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  She asked this very, very simple question in verse number 34. How can this be? How shall this be?
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  How is this going to happen?
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  She says, I've never been with a man.
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  I'm betrothed to Joseph, but I've never been with him in a sexual way. This cannot happen.
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  How is this going to happen?
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  And as we think about God's plan, we think about God's purpose and Mary's. A simple, humble question, is this how?
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  Because I don't understand.
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  There's a difference in her how and Zacharias, how hers is. I don't understand.
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  Zacharias. No, it won't happen.
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  It can't happen.
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  You remember Zacharias is now silent, right?
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  He can't speak.
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  And as Mary begins to ponder this question even out loud to how is this going to happen when we don't know how or why or when, when we don't understand why God is doing something?
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  Here's what I need you to understand. A lack of understanding doesn't necessitate a lack of faith.
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  And so when you don't understand something, that's all the more need to be more faithful and more in tune with God.
• 21:02
  When you have questions, don't take them to your friends and your associates, take them to God.
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  And so when we understand there is a lack of understanding on Mary's behalf, but it is not sinful because she understands that God can still work.
• 21:25
  There's a lot of things that I don't understand.
• 21:28
  I don't understand God's purpose behind cancer.
• 21:33
  I don't understand why babies die.
• 21:38
  Some people come to me and say, pastor Jeffrey, why do babies die?
• 21:42
  And I'm honest, I don't understand it all.
• 21:46
  I don't understand dementia.
• 21:49
  That's really hard for me in my little circle. There's five people that are dealing with it right now that I know very personally. And I don't understand it.
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  Brilliant minds.
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  I don't understand it.
• 22:10
  But we've got to trust God when we don't understand.
• 22:18
  And so even though we don't understand the purpose and what is going on in our lives, here's what I want you to know. When we don't understand, we are called to a deeper level of faith. Faith and trust in him that he will lead us through those times when we don't understand.
• 22:45
  I asked the question today, why are you here on this earth?
• 22:53
  And I want you to know with that question, it's not an accident.
• 22:58
  God does desire a relationship with you. He has a purpose for your life. And if you're struggling to figure out that purpose, here's what I need you to know. Just commit your life to Jesus and the terminology of the day full send it for Jesus and He will show you what that purpose is.
• 23:17
  Be committed to him, trust him, and he will show you exactly what he needs you to do. Open your eyes to the needs that are around you, to the giftings that you have and faithfully follow Jesus.
• 23:34
  Don't be like Zacchaeus.
• 23:37
  As we read about him in verse number 18, Zacchaeus said to the angel, whereby shall I know this, for I am old man and my wife well stricken in years. What Zacchaeus is saying is, you can't use us.
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  Don't be like that.
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  Be like Mary that maybe questions Lord, how, But I'm going to believe you for it all.
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  I'm going to trust you through it all.
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  Trust God's purpose for your life.
• 24:13
  And here's what I want to tell you.
• 24:15
  You're not all called to be preachers.
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  You're not all called to be like somebody else.
• 24:24
  But you are called to go with the gospel of Jesus Christ in some way to impact those around you.
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  Trust his purpose.
• 24:35
  There's one more point. Look at verses 35 through 38.
• 24:39
  The angel answered and said unto her, the Holy Ghost shall come upon thee, and the power of the highest shall overshadow thee. Therefore also that holy thing which shall be born of thee shall be called the Son of God. And behold thy cousin Elizabeth. She hath also conceived a son in her old age. And this is the sixth month with her who was called barren. For with God, nothing shall be impossible. And Mary said, behold the handmaid of thy Lord.
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  Be it to me according to thy word. And the angel departed from her.
• 25:15
  Point number three today is trust God's power.
• 25:22
  As this conversation continues, it's amazing what an angel has to say to Mary. And the same God who spoke things into existence is now at work in her life to bring the God man to be.
• 25:37
  The overshadowing that will take place is a miracle in and of itself.
• 25:43
  It gives us the image of the days of Exodus, that God would cover that tabernacle and it would represent God's protection and his presence and his power. So by the power of an almighty God, Mary is going to be pregnant. She's going to conceive a baby.
• 26:05
  Can I tell you something?
• 26:07
  I don't understand that, but I believe it.
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  I believe it with all my being.
• 26:18
  The angel tells Mary that God will be with you in a miraculous way.
• 26:24
  And I love the language of the King James.
• 26:27
  That holy thing, that holy child will be fully man and fully God.
• 26:40
  Holy is the key word here because it speaks of purity and void of sin and void of uncleanliness.
• 26:48
  This baby will be the Son of God.
• 26:52
  God's power is at work not only in Mary's life, but the angel says, he's already at work in your cousin's life.
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  Elizabeth is pregnant.
• 27:02
  She's six months with a child.
• 27:05
  And then those words in verse number 37, for with God, nothing shall be impossible.
• 27:12
  I want to stand here and testify today. My mother ingrained those words in my head when I was a young boy, when I was playing baseball. She would stand up there and I was facing one of the best pitchers there were.
• 27:26
  His family comes to this church. I'm not going to name him.
• 27:30
  But whenever I faced Casey Wilson, I knew one or two things were going to happen. Lord, please let him walk me. Or I was going to strike out.
• 27:42
  But even when I stood against the ferocious picture, there my mother was in this stand, saying, with God, all things are possible.
• 27:50
  And I'm like, mom, you're just crazy, crazy, crazy woman.
• 27:56
  When I was growing up, trying to figure out what I was gonna do with my life, she said, jeffrey, you can sell birth control to a nun.
• 28:10
  Maybe God's got a plan for you.
• 28:15
  I say that as a joke, but that's the truth. That's what my mother told me.
• 28:20
  So I thought I had a career in sales.
• 28:25
  But here was our message. Don't worry about it. With God, anything can be possible.
• 28:31
  And it's amazing what happens when the doors begin to open.
• 28:36
  It's amazing what happens.
• 28:39
  And so I'm telling you today, the faith is a grain of mustard seed. It's amazing what God can do.
• 28:47
  But what God is telling this young, scared girl through an angel is you don't need to be fearful, because God is going to do something very possible in your life in an impossible way.
• 29:05
  God is going to bring a savior to the world.
• 29:15
  In the book of Genesis, there's a question there that is asked, is there anything too hard for the Lord?
• 29:24
  Job says this. I know you can do all things. And Jesus says, with man, this is impossible. But with God, all things, or with man, this is impossible. With God, all things are possible. And the angel ends the conversation with this. With God, nothing shall be impossible.
• 29:44
  And so I don't understand what you're dealing with. Church.
• 29:48
  And even when we look at the world and the religious climate and the political climate and we don't understand all of that, here's what I need you to understand.
• 29:57
  With God, all things are possible.
• 30:02
  God is still alive and still working in the lives of his people according to his plan, according to his purpose, and according to his power.
• 30:12
  God is still at work. He is not dead.
• 30:17
  And our churches are dead and are dying because of a lack of faith, not because of a lack of God.
• 30:29
  So Clifford Baptist Church today, as we close this service, what don't you understand?
• 30:39
  And here's what I want to tell you. It's okay not to know it all.
• 30:45
  It's okay not to understand how it all is going to work out, but it is not okay to leave and not be faithful to God.
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  There's a difference there.
• 30:58
  Four words as this girl is told, there's something miraculous going to happen. God is going to overshadow you. God is going to work into your life.
• 31:10
  God is going to do the impossible. What does this young girl say?
• 31:16
  Be it unto me.
• 31:22
  Here's what that says, God, not what I want, but what you want.
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  That's what our church needs.
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  And it starts with me, God. Not what I desire, but I want to do what you desire through this body.
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  Maybe there's some families represented that have questions.
• 31:56
  Will you simply say, God, whatever you wish, I will trust you.
• 32:06
  Remember when Abraham was walking with his son, carrying the wood on his back and needed a sacrifice?
• 32:22
  And Isaac looks over and says, where's the lamb?
• 32:28
  What does Abraham say when he doesn't have the words to tell his little boy? Here's what he says, my son. God will provide himself a lamb.
• 32:40
  What about Job?
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  Job says this. Though he slay me, I will trust him.
• 32:48
  What about Joseph?
• 32:51
  You meant it for evil, but God will use it for good.
• 32:56
  And what about Jesus?
• 32:59
  Jesus? Is he desiring any other way that God could save the world? He says this. Not my will, but thine be done today. What do we do when we don't understand?
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  Run to Jesus.
• 33:17
  Have faith in Jesus.
• 33:19
  Trust Jesus and submit your will, your plan, your ideas to the plan of God. And simply be faithful and let him work.
• 33:32
  That's what you see a young teenage girl doing.
• 33:39
  Be it unto me.
• 33:42
  Maybe today, in this moment of invitation.
• 33:51
  Christian. I'm talking to you right now, believer. I'm talking to you.
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  You need God's purpose more than anything.
• 34:05
  Bow the knee to God. Submit to him.
• 34:08
  Give him your will, your plans, your ideas. Submit to him.
• 34:14
  Maybe there's something going on that you don't understand.
• 34:18
  Give it to God.
• 34:23
  Maybe, just maybe, there's somebody in this room today that needs to hear this.
• 34:31
  God has a purpose for your life.
• 34:33
  You've never been told that. Maybe you've been told how bad or how horrible or how it can't happen. Here's what I need you to understand. God had a purpose in creating you.
• 34:44
  God created you with the purpose of having a relationship with you.
• 34:50
  And his plan for that relationship went through a man named Jesus. That he took your sin and your shame to a cross and died in your place. That he was put in a borrowed tomb for three days. And he rose on the third day to give life to those who will believe.
• 35:07
  Today, if you need purpose and you don't have Jesus, here's what I'm asking you to do. Just bow your head, surrender to his will. Turn from your sin, turn to Jesus and follow him for the rest of your days.
• 35:24
  You say, jeffrey, it's that easy.
• 35:27
  It's that easy.
• 35:29
  That's not saying it will be easy.
• 35:34
  Who needs to trust him for the first time and who needs to trust him again in something going on in their life right now?
• 35:45
  This altar is open. Let's pray. Father. God, thank you, Lord. In this moment of invitation, God, we simply yield to your spirit. And God, pray that you would work in a way, Lord, that we don't understand.
• 35:58
  We don't need to know.
• 36:01
  We just need to know, Lord, that you're at work.
• 36:04
  So, God, maybe there's a believer in this room that just needs to trust what you're doing.
• 36:08
  Just needs to be obedient in this season, just needs to be reminded that, yes, you are at work and you have a plan and a purpose.
• 36:17
  Oh, God, I pray that you don't reveal it all at one time, but just by your grace and mercy. Lord, would you just speak to that one heart that has questions today or maybe that one that needs you as savior in this place.
• 36:33
  God, I pray that they don't leave the room without knowing that you have a purpose. And the plan was Jesus, Jesus. And you can save them through your awesome power.
• 36:46
  God, thank you for what you're going to do. And we just yield this time to you, God, have your way. We pray in Jesus name.
• 36:54
  Amen.
• 36:56
  Let's stand.